# Do You Really Need Toner?



## Marisol (Feb 10, 2008)

Do You Really Need Toner?

What Itâ€™s Meant to Do: A toner purportedly eliminates oil, tightens pores, and gets the skin ready to absorb active ingredients in other products.

So Who Needs It? Only people with extremely oily skin, says Ranella Hirsch, M.D., vice president of the American Society of Cosmetic Dermatology and Aesthetic Surgery. And thatâ€™s only if youâ€™re not already controlling oil in another way, like with a salicylic acidâ€“based cleanser or an oil-absorbing lotion. (Incidentally, â€œthereâ€™s no truth to the theory that toners prep the skin or help other products penetrate better,â€ says David E. Bank, M.D., director of the Center for Dermatology, Cosmetic and Laser Surgery, in Mount Kisco, New York.)

Who Can Skip It: Women with normal, dry, or sensitive complexions â€” that is, almost everyone. Toners often overdry these types of skin, triggering the sebaceous glands to pump out more oil in an effort to prevent dehydration. The result: rebound greasiness and more breakouts.

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## Killah Kitty (Feb 10, 2008)

Thanks for this, I have dry/combo skin and I use toner. Im not really sure why it just seems my mom and grandma have always been telling me to use it after washing my face or exfoliating so the pores will close up again. I guess I might not really need it but it doesn't make me any oilier using it, and I feel refreshed after using it so....


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## SukiBelle (Feb 10, 2008)

Originally Posted by *Marisol* /img/forum/go_quote.gif Do You Really Need Toner?

So Who Needs It? Only people with extremely oily skin

again...oily skin...I think I'm still IN.


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## luxotika (Feb 10, 2008)

Maybe it's time for me to get some toner! Great article.


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## Gavriela (Feb 10, 2008)

I have dry skin and I use an alcohol-free pH balancing toner - smells nice, and does provide some moisture, as well as making sure I've got any last makeup smudges off. Alcohol-based ones would be bad, though. Distilled water also does the trick if you've got dry skin. Or oily skin - the serious alcohol ones will overdry just about anyone.


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## perlanga (Feb 11, 2008)

I honestly think my skin has improved since I started using a toner.


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## Vernez (Feb 11, 2008)

Doesnt toner make your skin more oily/spotty anyway?


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## bellagia (Feb 11, 2008)

i have combination skin and I love toner to make sure my face is nice and clean and takes out any dirt on the face.


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## Gavriela (Feb 11, 2008)

Originally Posted by *Vernez* /img/forum/go_quote.gif Doesnt toner make your skin more oily/spotty anyway? Many commercial ones will - if the alcohol smell knocks you over when you take the top off DON'T USE IT. If your skin already tends to oily, then stripping it will only cause your face to pump out even more oil to replace the totally stripped oil, and a vicious cycle ensues. Most alcohols aren't good for skin.
But but but....a hydrosol (the water distillate left over from making essential oils) or plain distilled water will help restore the skin's pH balance without over-stripping, and also gets off any residual make-up or cleanser film. I think distilled water runs about 1$ per gallon, just put some into a spritzer. You can get more exotic, but you don't have to.


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## Jessica (Feb 11, 2008)

I have to use a toner for my oily skin....it works wonders for me


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## Solimar (Feb 12, 2008)

I just use a toner to make sure I got all my makeup off basically.


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## hisokafox (Feb 12, 2008)

i'm an oily skin , can't understand why oily skin toner always contain acohol , it makes my skin more terrible , dry skin doesn't need toner but oily skin must have toner ,but FREE acohol toner, so i love Oriflame toner because almost toner of this brand are free of acohol


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## donthate (Feb 12, 2008)

Just wondering, how can plain old distilled water tone your skin? To anyone who's used it or a very simple hydrosol toner, does it really do anything?


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